Women's Political Empowerment and leadership development

 

The 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments have accorded Indian women a scope for political representation in local bodies by mandatory reservation of not less than one-third in the total number of seats. Despite such provisions, most of them face constraints in pursuing a political career, due to various personal, social, and institutional reasons. They are generally asked to contest because the seat is reserved for a women candidate. 

In reality, they receive little support in exercising their mandate, which de-motivates them to participate politically. The sustainability and legitimacy of the local governance structures depend on the capacities of the women, but one finds that women are unable to play an active role in governance identities & practices limiting their capacities to articulate and act upon their claims and concerns. 

Given the present scenario, political representation in numbers alone cannot be a sufficient mechanism for women to exercise their agency. Years of discrimination have incapacitated them to articulate the priorities of their constituency and influencing decision-making. They need skills, knowledge, and information to express their concern and influence the decision-making processes as per their concern.

SSD is working with women to empower them politically to participate actively in governance, clearly indicating the key challenges that restrict women leaders to participate in the political processes of governance, either as elected leaders or as community leaders. SSD is working to improve Self Confidence and public speaking skills, Constituency Building Skills, spreading knowledge and information, spreading awareness about survival strategies in politics, and fighting Social constraints, and violence against women in politics. 

The overall goal of empowering women leaders politically is to create an enabling environment for participation in local governance and emerge as change agents, to provide skills to women leaders and persuade them in such a way that they are able to demonstrate their leadership skills and establish themselves as leaders, Who are actively pursuing a political career at the local level. This would be done through five levels of capacity-building approaches.

Pre-Election Voters Gender Awareness Campaign

The Objective of SSD is to increase awareness among contestants and the community to understand key gender discriminatory practices prevalent in the state i.e. sex selection, child marriage, dowry, and violence against women, and enhance skill to address them in their constituencies, to make special efforts to encourage contestants to take up these gender issues and form them as part of their electoral mandate, to interface with the State Election Commission and State Administration on violence against women in the electoral processes, to create an enabling environment for a free and fair election, to enhance citizen’s participation especially women and Dalits in the election process, to engage civil society in the selection of the right and accountable candidates

The Focus of SSD is on Pre Election Gender Voters Awareness Campaign to have a better and more learned elected representative to prevent sex selection, child marriage, Dowry, violence against women, etc.

SSD motivated the people to fill Shapath Patra by candidates having commitments of candidates to work on issues after winning for a reduction in Proxy candidates, an increase in voting percentages, an increase in enrollment of voters in the electoral rolls, and a reduction in the number of invalid votes.

SSD executed Awareness building on gender issues through Behavior Change Communication materials, popular folk media, media campaigns in local newspapers, TV, and Radio, and messages by popular leaders( Social, political and religious leaders). Establishing partnerships with the CSOs, district-level NGOs, and Women Networks to launch the gender component of the PEVAC at the village, block, and district levels a hand offers direct support to the campaign at the local level.

Capacity Building of CBOs and volunteers to run the gender campaign in their respective field areas. Specific support was provided to raise identified gender issues among the community and contestants. Regional/District level workshop and coordination Committees and an advisory committee were formed. CB of CSOs/volunteers/ facilitators mobilized to pursue the campaign actively. Intensive and Extensive voter education was given through CSO partners. 

Interface and liaison with SEC and District administration were exploited to run the campaign and ensure their support to reduce vulnerabilities. SSD accomplished listing of sensitive both and Distribution of posters, pamphlets, audio & video material, facilitation of camps at nomination places, hiring public address systems and vehicles-Rath Yatra, pasting of posters, pamphlets, audio cassettes & slogan, organizing village level meetings with CBOs and Shows, Puppet /Kala Jatha/Rallies/ foot rallies, cycle rallies, etc, the interface of candidates with people/GS, taking Shapath Patra, use of mass media – AIR, local cable channels, print, and electronic media, etc, proactive disclosure- higher level tier candidates, etc. 

During the post-campaign SSD act upon observing the elections proceedings, informing SEC/district administration about malpractices, evaluating the election result, sustaining capacity building, policy advocacy efforts, and activating local action on gender issues. 

Local self-government: 

SSD is Organizing workshops on Panchayati Raj for elected members, villagers are apprised about the Rights & responsibilities of the Sarpanch, Panch, and other Panchayati Raj functionaries. Various welfare schemes of the Government for weaker sections of society. Rights of women.